United Stales
&EPA
i Protection
Agency
Office of
Solid Waste and
Emergency Response
DIRECTIVE NUMBER: 9018.00-1
TITLE: Training Strategy Report
APPROVAL DATE:
EFFECTIVE DATE: February 1986
ORIGINATING OFFICE: OSWER
H FINAL
D DRAFT
STATUS:
REFERENCE (other documents):
'OSWER OSWER OSWER
(E DIRECTIVE DIRECTIVE D
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OSWER DIRECTIVE
NO. 9018.0O1
Office of Solid Waste
and Emergency Response
TRAINING STRATEGY REPORT
Prepared for:
OSWER Training Work Croup
February 1986
Prepared by:
International Business Services, Inc.
1090 Vermont Avenue, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20005
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Section Page
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY i
\
1. BACKGROUND 1
2. INTRODUCTION: CURRENT TRAINING IN OSWER 4
2.1 Organization and Resources 4
2.2 Current Training Activities 5
2.3 OSWER Training Needs Assessment Findings 6
2.4 Major Issues to be Addressed by OSWER
Training Strategy 8
3. STRUCTURED OSWER TRAINING PROGRAM ." 11
3.1 OSWER Training Goals * 11
3.2 OSWER Organizational Structure for Training 11
3.3 Curriculum Development 13
3.4 Course Development . . 16
3.5 Training Process 17
3.6 Training Delivery Mechanisms 18
3.7 Monitoring and Evaluation 21
4. SUMMARY OF MAJOR RECOMMENDATIONS 24
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LIST OF ATTACHMENTS'
A. FY 85 and FY 86 Training Activities
B. Requests for Primary Training Areas by Program and Level
C. Proposed CERCLA OSC/RPM Curriculum
\
D. Proposed Groundwater Training Curriculum
E. Sample Course Evaluation System
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The OSWER Training Work Group was established in January, 1985 with
the objectives of:
Formulating an effective strategyxfor OSWER training
Maximizing the effectiveness of OSWER training resources, and
Providing a forum for evaluating current and future training
needs, issues and resources.
Work Group activities directed toward fulfilling these objectives and
reviewed in the present report include the development of an OSWER
Training Calendar, evaluation of the need for executive seminars,
Investigation of appropriate instructional methods, and completion of a
comprehensive OSWER training needs assessment and resource analysis. Each
of these major activities, as well as a number of others, has contributed
to the development of a structured OSWER training strategy which is the
subject of this report.
Even a cursory review of current OSWER training organization and
resources reveals a lack of serious commitment to training. Current
training activities, although certainly useful in providing critical
training in several areas, are inadequate to meet increasing demands for
training a-t Regional and State levels. An analysis of the FY 86 OSWER
Training Needs Assessment findings highlighted the need for an expanded
national training strategy to provide wider dissemination of training in
the most effective and cost-efficient manner.
The overall goals of the OSWER Training strategy described in this
report include:
To encourage a stronger commitment to training within OSWER
and to develop mechanisms for expanding and maximizing the
effectiveness of training resources.
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To develop a focused and coordinated OSWER-wide training
program that reasonably meets the programmatic, management
and technical needs of new and existing personnel at the
State, Regional and Headquarters levels.
To improve the capacity of OSWER to educate and train
appropriate personnel at the Headquarters, Regional and State
levels in subjects related to their functional
responsibilities in achieving the Agency's program mission.
The OSWER Training Work Group has developed recommendations for a
structured OSWER program to improve training program operations. These
recommendations, as presented in this report concern the areas of training
organizational structure, curriculum and .course development, training
process, training delivery mechanisms both for the short and long term and
training monitoring and evaluation. . .
The first section of this report provides a brief description of the
structure and function of the OSWER Training Work Group and introduces
some of their primary activities. The following section addresses the
status of current training .activities and needs, and raises issues of
paramount importance with regard to developing a structured OSWER training
program. Elements of such a program and strategies for its imp'lementatipn
are addressed in the third section. The fourth and concluding section
provides a.'summary of major recommendations.
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OFFICE OF SOLID WASTE AND EMERGENCY RESPONSE
TRAINING STRATEGY
1. BACKGROUND
The OSWER Training Work Group is an a^ Jioc_ commi ttee composed of
members from the Office of Emergency and Remedial Response (OERR), the
Office of Solid Waste (OSW), the Office of Waste Programs Enforcement
(OWPE) and representatives from four Regional Offices and the Association
of State and Territorial^ Solid Waste Management Officials (ASTSWMO). The
group was established in January, 1985 with the objectives of:
Formulating an effective strategy for OSWER training,
Maximizing the effectiveness of OSWER training resources, and
Providing a forum for evaluating current and future training
needs, issues and resources.
In the year since its inception, the Work Group has conducted a
number of activities. These include .the development of an OSWER-wide
Training Calendar, an evaluation of the need for executive seminars, an
investigation of appropriate instructional methods, and completion of a
comprehensive OSWER Training Needs Assessment. The Work Group coordinated
their activities with the Hazardous Waste Ground-Water Task Force to
identify specific needs for training in ground-water monitoring. These
activities are briefly discussed below:
OSWER Training Calendar. Issued on a quarterly basis, the
training calendar provides a schedule and brief descriptions of
all courses being offered in the Regions through Headquarters
or regional training activities. The third issue of the
calendar is currently in preparation.
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t Executive Seminars. The work group surveyed senior staff to
determine the need for advanced management training. The
somewhat limited response received indicated a perceived need
for seminars on such topics as stress management, effective
meetings, managing work groups, briefing techniques and dealing
with the public media. A memorandum was drafted on course
availability, costs and efficacy. Interest in similar courses
at the Regional level also was apparent.
Instructional Methods. The Work Group is pursuing a number of
activities in this area, including the development of standard
guidelines for performance-based course development. The Work
Group is also investigating various educational media and
technology as alternative delivery strategies. A model
decision matrix software package is being developed under
contract to JWK. It will provide assistance in decisions
regarding appropriate instructional methods, educational
technology and cost estimates. The overall objective of this
activity is to provide a tool for managers in selecting cost
effective methods for training delivery, thereby maximizing
limited training resources.
a
Training Needs Assessment. A comprehensive OSWER-wide training
: needs assessment was formulated and implemented in FY85 by
surveying Headquarters and Regional Hazardous Waste Division
Directors. During the first part of the study, a
classification of subject areas based on the EPA Operating
Guidance for FY 86-87 was developed. Respondents were asked to
Identify subject areas, difficulty levels, and number of
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or advanced level. Results of the training needs assessment
are summarized in a later section of this report.
Resource Analysis. Part II of the OSWER Training Needs
Assessment consisted of an analysis of the ten top priority
training needs in relation to courses being offered by EPA to
determine what gaps exist in current offerings.
Recommendations for activities designed to fill the gaps are
included in the OSWER Resource Analysis Report.
Ground-Water Monitoring. The Work Group coordinated with the
Hazardous Waste Ground-Water Task Force in identifying the
courses necessary to improve the perfprmance of State and
Regional permit writers and enforcement officials. Work is
continuing on the development of generic ground-water training
courses and program specific training 1n ground-water
monitoring".
With these major tasks completed or nearing completion, the Work
Group has turned its attention toward integrating the outcome of these and
related activities into a strategy for the future. This report is the
result of those efforts and presents the Work Group's recommendations for
a structured OSWER training program. The strategy, presented in this
report focuses on the elements of a training program oriented toward user
needs and functional responsibilities and based on the objective of
improving OSWER programs.
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2. INTRODUCTION: CURRENT TRAINING IN OSWER
Currently OSWER has no comprehensive training plan or strategy, and
as a result, there is no consistency of training program approach within
the major OSWER offices. This is undoubtedly related to the differing
status of training with respect to statutory authorities within the
Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) and the Comprehensive
Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act of 1980 (CERCLA).
Whereas, Section 8001 of RCRA gives OSW broad authority to conduct
research, demonstrations, training and public education activities under
both grants and contracts, CERCLA currently contains no explicit training
authority. Section lll(c)(6) of CERCLA . does authorize the cost of a
program to protect worker health and safety. Executive Order 12196 and
EPA Orders 1440.2 and 1440.3 also contain provisions for ensuring the
protection of employees involved in hazardous response actions. The OWPE.
draws its legislative authority from both RCRA and CERCLA.
2.1 Organization and Resources
Training organization and staffing also differs.across OSWER program
offices. Only OERR has an established organization for training
development and delivery. The Hazardous Response Support Division (HRSD)
is assigned functional responsibility for development, conduct, monitoring
and evaluation of Superfund training activities. Staff within the Office
for Program Support include two full time equivalents (FTEs). They are
responsible for front-end training program development, needs assessment,
budget formulation and evaluation. In addition, the Environmental
Response Branch has three FTEs located at Edison and Cincinnati who are
responsible for safety and technical training development and delivery.
> .
Neither OSW nor OWPE has an established training organization. OSW
has one FTE assigned responsibility for program development and
Implementation with the support of two full-time Senior Environmenta-1
Employees (SEE). OWPE has one-half FTE on detail responsible for
development and conduct of training. They plan to establish one FTE
permanent position.
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A cursory review of OSWER's FY 85 training resources highlights this
imbalance and general lack of commitment to training. OSWER has only one
FTE assigned training responsibilities and the Regions have less than one
FTE each. The breakdowns in training resources for the various program
offices are as follows:
t OSU - 1 FTE and approximately $100 thousand in training
funds (with additional $264 thousand in academic
training funds)
OWPE - 0.5 FTE and approximately $75 thousand in funds, and
OERR - 5 FTE's and $3.5 million in training funds.
Planned expenditures for training in FY86 are currently at similar
levels. Greatly expanded training funds may be available to OERR,
however, predicated upon the level of funding allocated by Congress in
reauthorizing CERCLA.
»
2.2 Current Training Activities
During FY 85, OSWER conducted a number of training courses supported
by Headquarters in cooperation with Regional Offices. In all,
approximately 12,300 trainees participated in 183 training sessions. The
total training effort consisted of 34 separate courses in 4 general
topical areas. The breakdown of courses by topic was as follows:
Management, Legal and Adminstration: 9 courses, 36 sessions
with 7,450 participants (includes "New RCRA Teleconference"
with an estimated audience .of 6,000). Topics include CERCLA
Orientation, Administrative Orders, Community Relations, etc.
Safety-Related: 5 courses, 50 sessions with 1,500 participants
(e.g., "Personnel Protection and Safety," "Hazardous Materials
Incident Response Operations".)
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Programmatic/Operational: 10 courses, 41 sessions with 1,660
participants. Topics covered various aspects of emergency
response/preparedness (e.g., "U.S. Coast Guard On-Scene
Coordinator Simulation"), remedial response (e.g., "Mitre
Hazard Ranking System") and enforcement (e.g., "Cost
Recovery").
Technical and Scientific: 10 courses, 56 sessions with 1,680
participants (Training in the areas of sampling, geophysics,
toxicology and environmental assessment, etc.).
Current plans for FY86 Include the delivery of approximately 180
courses in the areas of .ground-water, safety and technical training,
emergency preparedness, remedial response and environmental assessment, to
name a few. ' Attachment A to this report contains a complete listing of
OSWER training courses provided to the Regions in FY 85, and planned for
delivery in FY 86.- .
2.3 OSWER Training Needs Assessment Findings .
The FY 86 OSWER training needs assessment was implemented through a
survey of Headquarters and Regional Division Directors. Training requests
by subject category were solicited for each major goal outlined by EPA
Operating- Guidance. Respondents estimated the number of persons in
Headquarters, the Regions and States who required training in the various
functional and program areas.
The results of the survey indicated that States have the greatest
need for training with 62% or approximately 77,000 of the 124,000 total
training slots requested. Regional staff accounted for another 35%
(44,000) of training requests, with the remaining 3,000 (less than 3%)
targeted for Headquarters staff. Within program areas, the distribution
of requests for training slots was as follows:
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t CERCLA - 45% or 55,000
RCRA - 22% or 28,000
RCRA Enforcement - 17% or 21,000
CERCLA Enforcement - 16% or 20,000
The top ten training requests nationally, accounting for 24% of the
total training requested, included:
Top Ten Training Areas
Number of
Training Requested Trainees
1. Groundwater Related 9,960.
'2. RCRA Regulations 3,890
3. Cleanup Technologies 3,350
4. CERCLA Regulations 2,820
5. Remedial Engineering 2,570
6. Compliance Monitoring . 2,260
7. Community Relations 2,240
8. General Program Administration 1,640
9. Contingency Planning 1,580
10. OSC Procedures/Skills 650
Total 28,960
All Other Training Requests 95,300
Grand Total 124,260
The remaining 77% of training requests spanned a wide range of
subjects and topical areas. The only other single area to receive a large
number of requests was that for 15,000 training slots in first responder
techniques for State employees in Region IX. Other broad categories of
requests included: legal training (e.g., cost recovery, investigative
techniques, evidence); risk assessment (e.g., chemistry, toxicology,
health effects); removal operations (e.g., incident response operations,
spill containment); analytical techniques (e.g., data interpretation,
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sampling plan design); remedial operations (NPL ranking, Rl/FS); State and
Federal responsibilities; automation, data bases, and information
management; negotiation techniques; and public participation, to name a
few.
Groundwater training is the single, most important training area,
followed by instruction in RCRA regulations, cleanup technologies and
CERCLA regulations. Some differences were found across program areas and
location (i.e. Headquarters, Regions, and States), and training needs at
various levels (i.e., basic, intermediate, advanced) were also
identified. Attachment B to this report provides breakdowns of the
primary training needs for staff in each program area.
A second phase of the needs, assessment Involved an analysis of
currently available courses and training materials. This was conducted to
determine possible gaps in EPA's current resources. Existing courses were
evaluated to determine if the top ten priority training areas are being
met, and recommendations made concerning new course development, revisions
of existing course materials and additional research and evaluation. An
additional training area, risk assessment, was also addressed by the
report due to an .increasing interest in this area. Training needs were
broken down into number of courses required to meet requested needs. The
most difficult area to address was that of.costs, due to the range of
possible costs involved and lack of existing cost documentation. However,
a hypothetical cost model containing estimates for various cost factors is
being developed.
2.4 Major Issues To Be Addressed By OSWER Training Strategy
An analysis of the needs assessment findings in light of OSWER's
current training organization, resources and activities, reveals a number
of issues to be addressed by a comprehensive OSWER training strategy.
Foremost among these is the need for an enhanced commitment to training.
Although it is obvious that adequate resources will never be available at
the Federal level to meet all training requests, it is instructive to note
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that to do so would require a tenfold increase in the amount of training
resources available for FY 85.
The OSWER Headquarters and Regional organizations cannot assume
responsibility for the delivery of all training identified as needed at
the State level. However, in order to ensure that EPA program goals are
carried out as intended, OSWER must assume responsibility for training
oversight and assistance. OSWER's role in providing State level training
is to determine how training will be provided. This includes the
development of materials and provision of training support needed by the
States for training, and the training of State personnel in the use of
those materials.
The needs assessment also highlights the need for an expanded
national training strategy. Current training organization and activities
within OSWER are not structured to meet the increasing demand for training
throughout the Regions and States. The parameters of OSWER program
authority are in a period of dynamic growth and change, and it is
generally considered that this will continue into and perhaps beyond the
next decade. OSWER must be aware of the impact of program changes on
training needs prior to their implementation. A training program built on
functional responsibilities and program objectives, and oriented toward
user needs and performance improvement is needed to meet the increasing
demand for training.
In addition, with over half the projected training slots targeted to
State employees, mechanisms must be developed to provide wider
dissemination of training in the most cost-efficient manner. .This will
require greater coordination both within OSWER program areas and with
other EPA offices and federal agencies. It will also require the
establishment of clean lines of authority and responsibility.
Finally, it will be necessary to meet the changing requirements for
training service inherent in pending CERCLA reauthorization legislation.
It is anticipated that for the first time, Congress will make training a
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statutory requirement within CERCLA. Congress anticipates a large scale,
national training effort that may include the following:
The use of grants, contracts, and agreements with universities
and State/local agencies for training
Graduate level training for State and local personnel in public
health and occupational health issues
EPA support of the Department of Health and Human Services
(HHS) in training local personnel and handlers of hazardous
substances
EPA and HHS are to complete the implementation of their
training strategies within one year of enactment.
The following pages contain a strategy for the development of a
structured OSWER training program that will address some of these issues.
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3. STRUCTURED OSWER TRAINING PROGRAM
This section of the report presents the basic approach to training
recommended by the OSWER Training Work Group and describes the elements of
an emerging structured OSWER training program.
3.1 OSWER Training Goals
The overall goals of the OSWER Training Strategy outlined in this
report are as follows:
To encourage a stronger commitment to training within OSWER and
to develop mechanisms for expanding and maximizing the
effectiveness of training resources
To develop a focused and coordinated OSWER-wide training
program that reasonably meets the programmatic, management and
technical needs of new and existing personnel at the State,
Regional and Headquarters levels
« To improve the capacity of OSWER to educate and train
appropriate personnel at the Headquarters, Regional and State
levels in subjects related to their functional responsibilities
. in achieving the Agency's program mission.
3.2 OSWER Organizational Structure for Training
Based on the activities and experience of the Work Group, a number of
critical elements were identified that must be included in a structured
training program. These elements represent objectives to be achieved in
fulfilling the goals set forth above. The first of these to be discussed
is the organizational structure upon which training efforts will be based.
Provide an organizational structure within each OSWER program
office (CERCLA. RCRA. and Enforcement) for training oversight,
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development and delivery. Each of the three OSWER program
areas has its own requirements. Therefore, each program office
should be responsible for the development of curricula for
their various functional responsibilities. Each office should
also be responsible for the substantive development of courses
to fit their curriculum. Implemenation of this recommendation
would most likely require additional monetary resources for all
program offices, as well as additional staff resources within
OSW and OWPE.
Establish OSWER Training Coordinator within the Assistant
Administrator's Office. A mechanism for training oversight and
tracking within OSWER is needed to ensure consistency, quality
and shared resources. Differences among program areas have
often led to training processes that are uncoordinated with
processes in other areas. In addition, 1t can be anticipated
that there will be instances in which a single course will meet
more than one need. (See, for example, the breakdown of
. training needs by program -area provided in Attachment B.)
Hence, there is a need for coordination among program offices.
This responsibility should be centered in a staff position
within the Assistant Administrator's office. The OSWER
training coordinator should have the option of establishing a
/standing committee of representatives similar to the current
Work Group or to convene ad hoc committees when needed. This
would also be the level at which annual OSWER training needs
assessments and resource analyses should be designed and
coordinated, and the OSWER training calendar should be
compiled.
4
The OSWER Training Coordinator would also be responsible for
both inter and intra-agency coordination in the development of
training programs. Examples of the types of activities to be
monitored include the proposed development of an EPA Training
Institute which may be an important resource for OSWER
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training, and the impact on training of the human resource
management studies currently being conducted for both CERCLA
\
and RCRA. An example of inter-agency coordination would be
oversight of joint EPA/FEMA efforts in the area of emergency
preparedness.
t Establish Regional Training Coordinator Positions with OSWER-
wide training implementation and oversight responsibilities.
Training coordinator positions within each Regional office
should be formally recognized and serve as the single point of
contact for all Headquarters and State communication regarding
training .for the Region.
Develop Training Standards and Management Incentives. A
determination of the level of commitment of staff time to
training will need to be made. For Instance, a minimum
.acceptable level of S% or more time spent in training for
professional employees might be established. The development
of such standards will be an iterative process in which
established training curricula are considered along with the
impact of training commitments on workforce and the measurement
of workforce activities. Such standards, if developed, would
need to be formalized, perhaps through a requirement for
- subordinate training in management performance objectives.
3.3 Curriculum Development
A key element in the OSWER training strategy is the development of
curricula based on functional responsibilities and improved performance.
The importance of functional curricula cannot be overemphasized. Training
in fundamentals (the program/skill basics) must be organized in such a
manner that new and existing personnel have the opportunity to develop
skills with some consistency. More specifically, these skills shall be
defined as the knowledge, skills and abilities that are integral to the
generally accepted program functions and objectives.
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It is anticipated that one or more curricula will be developed within
each of OSWER's three major program areas. Examples of the types of
curricula relevant to each program include:
i
OSW - Permit Writer Curriculum
OWPE - Enforcement Curriculum
OERR - OSC/RPM Curriculum
. Courses included in a particular curriculum would be targeted toward
specific groups (e.g., new hire, or manager) and structured so as to
incorporate various levels (e.g., introductory, intermediate, advanced)
and/or prerequisites based on the knowledge, skill and ability level of
the target audience. This, approach will provide a comprehensive but
flexible plan with the capability of moving people along a logical
progression. The system would have the additional benefit of contributing
to the career development needs of targeted personnel, perhaps through the
'development of individualized training plans.
Another aspect of a structured functional curriculum would be a
division of training into core or required courses, optional courses, and
other technical/scientific or programmatic training. This would allow
specification of an individualized training curriculum, and a training
schedule with deadlines that must be met to satisfy training
requirements. There may also be particular courses that should be
required for all OSWER employees because of their importance to all areas
of operations (e.g., Introduction to Environmental Law).
An example of the structured functional curriculum described here is
provided by the draft CERCLA OSC/RPM curriculum (Attachment C). This
curriculum delineates required courses for new employees covering basic
programmatic and skill areas. A schedule for required training of all new
OSC/RPMs can be established to ensure completion. For example:
Within 2 Months: CERCLA Orientation and Safety
Within 4 Months: Basic OSC/RPM Skills Course
Within 6 Months: Community Relations, etc. .
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Optional courses for both On-Scene Coordinators (OSCs) and Remedial
Program Managers (RPMs) would be strongly recommended for enhancement of
basic knowledge, skills and abilities. The specialized courses and
symposia would be offered on an as needed basis depending upon current
State and Regional priorities and identified skill deficiencies.
Many of the courses designed for key CERCLA staff have already been
developed. Courses have also been tailored to the needs and requirements
of staff at Headquarters, Regional and State levels. Examples of existing
courses include:
OSCs RPMs
Response Operations t PA/SI
Spill Containment t RI/FS
Hazard Analysis Risk Assessment
However, new and redesigned courses will also be needed. Based on
results of the national needs survey, it is anticipated that the following
course development activities must be accomplished in implementing the
OSC/RPM curriculum:
New courses will be needed for:
- Ground-water Sampling Plan Design
- Advanced instruction in cleanup Technologies and
Construction Management
- Program Administration and Project Management.
Revised courses will be needed for:
- Community Relations (dispute and conflict resolution)
- Time and Stress Management
- Health and Endangerment Assessment.
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Specialized curricula in key subject areas will also need to be
developed in order to fulfill additional documented OSWER training needs.
Subject area curricula would also be based on developing a continuum of
knowledge and skills from introductory through advanced training, but
would fulfill training needs that cut cross a number of functional areas.
Individual courses included in the subject area curriculum may well be
considered important for a number of functions in different program
areas. An example of a key subject area curriculum is that being
developed by the OSWER Hazardous Waste Ground-Water Task Force (HWGTF) in
the area of Ground-water training (See Attachment D and the HWGTF Interim
Final Report). Similar activities are underway to develop a structured
curriculum in the area of Community Relations.
3.4 Course Development
Another critical element of a structured OSWER training program is
the implementation of a consistent course development process. The Work
Group recommends that this be accomplished through the use of a
performance - objective approach to training course development. This
approach provides a framework for identifying both the subject matter and
the instructional materials to be used in a training course. Performance
objectives refer to proposed- changes in behavior that can be expected as a
result of training. Discrete elements of the subject matter are defined
and organized into modules or lists of topics which derive from what
learners must be able to do at the completion of the course. Thus, the
approach assists the instructor in organizing the course presentation to
ensure the required learner behavior. Frequently, a "plan of instruction
is prepared prior to the development of training materials. This is a
design document which specifies the objectives, units, content areas,
methodology and target audience for the course- .
The advantage of this approach is that it ensures that courses are
focused on actual performance improvement, rather than providing "nice "to
know" information. In addition, the detailed analysis of course content
and the focus on training modules would allow a comparison with existing
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couses and training materials. It would further allow capability to
easily modify course content to fit the needs of staff in various
locations. Importantly, the method is also easily adaptable to "train the
trainer" approaches which can greatly facilitate course delivery.
3.5 Training Process
i
OSWER's increasing delegation of authority to Regional and State
personnel for significant program activities and operations has resulted
in a concomitant need to decentralize many training activities, and to
develop and implement mechanisms for wider training dissemination. A long
term strategy for OSWER training must take into account the changing roles
of staff at the Headquarters, Regional and State levels brought about by
new training procedures such as decentralized training delivery. Meeting
increased demands for State and Regional training will require recognition
of the value of both centralized and decentralized or "bottom-up"
management approaches. .
A major objective of the centralized management approach should be a
reduction of training fragmentation and the recognition that enhanced
performance and productivity at all levels of government is best served by
strong leadership and focused management. The Headquarters role should
be:
Design and analysis of annual training needs assessments
Development of functional curricula and key subject area
curricula and the development of courses and training materials
for core courses included in these curricula
Provide guidance, technical assistance and review for
specialized courses and materials developed at the State and
Regional levels
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Establish mechanisms for decentralized training delivery and
determine strategies for the use of instructional media and
technologies (e.g., Train trainers for Regional, State and
local levels, video teleconferencing, self-instructional
materials)
Coordinate the OSWER related training efforts of other agencies
(e.g., FEMA, USCG, OSHA, NIOSH, CDC) by review of training
activities and exchange of training materials and resources '
Direct and coordinate cross-cutting training needs and
resources to the points of greatest need.
Decentralized training management*approaches will involve increasing
training responsibilities at the Regional and State levels, as well as a
greater reliance on. external resources such as contractors, universities,
associations and local training centers. Training activities best
conducted in a decentralized manner include development and production of
specialized training courses' to meet unique Regional needs, and training
delivery. Further discussion of the role of various components of the
decentralized training system is provided in the following section on
training delivery.
3.6 Training Delivery Mechanisms
A decentralized approach to training course delivery (viewed as
Regional training responsibility) will require that considerable
organizational structure, oversight and funding procedures be developed
and institutionalized throughout the Regions. The establishment of
Regional and State training capabilities is a long-term process. In order
to meet rapidly increasing training needs in the near-term, less
protracted processes will need to be developed. This section, therefore,
addresses both short-term and long-term approaches to training delivery."
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Currently, training delivery within OSWER is carried out through a
number of methods utilizing both program and contractor staff.
Superfund's HRSD provides training through the Program Support Staff at
Headquarters, as well as through ERB staff located in Edison, NJ and
Cincinnati, Ohio. Training delivery utilizes contractors for safety and
technical training and various Headquarters staff for some programmatic
courses (e.g., CERCLA Orientation, RI/FS Training). In some instances,
attempts have been made to provide detailed instructor's manuals and a
train the trainer approach to enable Regional office staff to conduct
training delivery. The other program offices have taken similar
approaches to delivery.
However, the use of program staff for training has led to scheduling
problems and excessive demands on staff at both the Headquarters and
Regional level. Therefore, one short-term solution 1s to shift this
responsibility through a greater utilization of contractors and/or greater
use of instructional media and technologies. In the short-term, each
program office may want to consider establishing special contracts for
training delivery. An expanded capability for ERT to provide training to
EPA and State staff would also help to ease the burden on program staff
and aid the objective of providing training to meet increasing needs.
Another relatively short-term approach to training delivery that
builds upon existing resources is the development of four high technology
training centers at existing ORD/ERT facilities or other EPA facilities.
Resources for these laboratories could be increased to allow an expanded
role in training .including development and delivery of highly specialized
technical courses related to their present mission. In the long-term this
approach would aid in the development of specialized expertise. That is,
each facility would be developed as a "Center of .Excellence" in a
particular subject area:
Edison, NJ - Emergency Preparedness
Cincinnati, OH - Engineering
Las Vegas, NV - Monitoring
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9018.00-1
Ada, OK - Groundwater
t Denver, CO (NEIC) - Enforcement
Training delivery for these specialized courses would proceed from
direct training delivery by center staff to training for other EPA
instructors or contractor delivery, depending upon State and Regional
needs and resources.
A second aspect of training delivery involves alternatives to the use
of traditional lecture or seminar methods of training delivery through the
use of alternative instructional media. In instances in which a
relatively large number of persons require training, the use of
alternative delivery strategies involving large scale replication of
course materials through the use of videotape, audiotape, slide shows or
self-instructional materials may be considered as a cost saving measure.
In general, the larger the target audience the greater the justification
for employing these methods. The development of training materials
through alternative media requires large start-up expenditures: and
generally lower delivery costs, whereas traditional training has
relatively lower start-up costs and higher delivery costs.
The use of videotapes, combined with printed training materials,
interactive video disks, and video teleconferencing techniques may prove
both useful and cost-effective in facilitating training delivery in some
cases. The Work Group supported model decision matrix software will
provide assistance in reaching decisions regarding alternative delivery
mechanisms.
Longer term approaches to training delivery aimed at assisting the
development of Regional and State training capabilities would include the
following:
Continued development of Hazardous Waste Management Institutes
in each Region. The current program, in early stages of
implementation, calls for development and delivery of a two
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9018.00-1
week training program once a year covering topics of special
importance to the RCRA program and the Region in which the
center is located. This program should be accelerated and
possibly expanded to include other program areas to increase
cost-effectiveness.
Conduct a study to determine the feasibility of developing 30
State/Regional Training Centers. The State training center
concept is similar to that provided for in the past under
Section 109.B of the Clean Water Act. Local training centers
would serve as logistics centers for the delivery of
management/administration, programmatic and other courses and
seminars to State and local staff. The centers would also
serve as points of contact for local associations such as the
.National Environmental Training Association (NETA) and the
Association of State and Territorial Solid Waste Management
Officials (ASTSWMO). Training course packages and materials
could also be distributed through the centers.
3.7 Training Monitoring and Evaluation
A final key element in structured OSWER training programs is a
mechanism to coordinate course information and to evaluate the impact of
training oji job performance. Training evaluation consists of two major
components: (1) the ability to monitor information on courses already
developed or under development, and (2) the assessment of the impact of
training in improving actual performance of job responsibilities by
trainees.
A training monitoring system would include a central repository of
information on training conducted within OSWER. Course materials,
schedules and information regarding the costs, objectives, level and
target audience for which training is directed should be available for use
in coordinating training activities and evaluating training impact. The
monitoring and evaluation system would also provide consistent information
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9018.00-1
on courses in a standard format to allow for comparability of courses in
different subject areas and at differing levels.
The monitoring and evaluation system developed for the Superfund
Targeted State Training Program (STSTP) provides a model for such a
comprehensive evaluation capability. The system is based on an automated
course database containing:
Detailed course reference data'(e.g., length, prerequisites,
class size limitations, delivery method, etc.)
Breakdowns of cost elements Involved in course delivery (e.g.,
instructor costs, travel, per diem, materials, etc.)
* ' '«... .
Course content Information (e.g., agenda, difficulty level,
goals and objectives, etc.)
Participant . .characteristics (e.g;,. j.ob position and
. responsibilities, years of experience, education, etc.)
Evaluation findings (e.g., participant satisfaction, numbers
completing training, achievement of performance objectives,
etc.).
A critical component of the monitoring and evaluation system is a
comprehensive data collection plan for measuring participant and
instructor reactions to various aspects of the course content, delivery,
design and usefulness. Questionnaires targeted to instructors, observers
and participants of training courses are used to assess the relevance of
training to particular job classifications and functions. A follow-up
assessment of the relevance of training to actual job related knowledge,
skills.and abilities, to be completed 6 months following training, forms.a
final component of the system. A summary of data collection activities
related to the course monitoring system is provided in Attachment E.
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9018.0.0-1
A comprehensive monitoring and evaluation system, if implemented,
would provide several benefits to OSWER training programs. Foremost among
these is a means to measure the impact of training on actual job
performance. Courses which are not demonstrated to be effective can be
modified on the basis of evaluation findings to ensure their usefulness.
Well defined output reports could be easily generated for accounting and
administrative purposes. Comparisons across and between various courses
and program areas could also be produced. Additional benefits of an
automated course monitoring system include:
Reduce duplicative efforts in course monitoring
Coordinate content, focus and format of OSWER training data
Allow a comparison of projected versus . actual training
activities.
Finally, a comprehensive automated system incorporating information
collected for the OSWER training calendar and the course monitoring system
could provide a single source of information regarding all OSWER training
activities, such as individual data per course and per program. The
system would also contribute to assessments of how well work force
planning and human resource development objectives are being met.
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9018.00-1
4. SUMMARY OF MAJOR RECOMMENDATIONS
Through its effort to provide a forum for evaluating current and
future training needs, issues and resources and to maximize the
effectiveness of training resources, the OSWER Training Work Group has
developed a strategy for implementing a structured OSWER training
program. The overall goals of the training program are:
To encourage a stronger commitment to training withfn OSWER and-
- -- ; ."'
to develop mechanisms for expanding "and maximizing the
effectiveness of training resources.
To develop a focused and coordinated OSWER-wide training
program that reasonably meets the programmatic, management and
. technical needs of new and existing personnel at the State,
Regional .and Headquarters levels. "-" v
t To improve OSWER capacity to educate and train appropriate
personnel at the Headquarters, Regional and State levels in
subjects related to their functional responsibilities in
achieving the Agency's program mission.
The program can best be characterized as one that focuses training on
job performance and provides an established agenda built on functional
responsibilities and user needs. The overall program design includes
capabilities for meeting increasing training requirements and for
developing and implementing mechanisms for wide dissemination of training
in a cost-effective manner.
Work Group recommendations for a structured OSWER training program
include the following key elements:
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9018.00-1
Training Organizational Structure
- Provide an organizational structure and necessary resources
within each OSWER program office for training oversight,
development and delivery.
- Establish an OSWER Training Coordinator position within the
Assistant Administrator's Office.
- Establish an OSWER Training Coordinator position within each
Regional Office.
:- Develop training standards and management incentives,
including a performance objective for subordinate training
and .a minimum training requirement.
Curriculum and Course Development
- Develop functional curricula to meet the objectives of each
program office (e.g., OSW - Permit Writer; OWPE
Enforcement; OERR - OSC/RPM).
- Develop additional structured curricula around key subject
areas (e.g., Ground-water, Emergency Preparedness Community
Relations).
- Curricula should be organized to include required core
courses, optional courses, and other technical/scientific or
programmatic training and to include various difficulty
levels based on the knowledge, skills and abilities of the
target audience.
- .Implement a consistent course development process based on
an approach which targets training to the required
knowledge, skills and abilities of the target audience with
the objective of improving job performance.
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9018.00-1
Training Process
- Centralize functions of conducting needs assessments, course
development, and training program oversight at the
Headquarters level.
- Establish mechanisms for decentralized course delivery at
the Regional and State levels.
Training Delivery Mechanisms - Short Term
- Enhance the capability of existing training delivery systems
through Increased resources and greater contractor support.
- Establish dedicated training contracts to provide for course
development/delivery.
- Develop five high technology training centers or "Centers of
Excellence" at existing ERT/ORD laboratories and EPA
facilities.
- Utilize alternative instructional media and technologies
(e.g., videotape, interactive video disk, and video
. . teleconferencing) when numbers of trainees Warrant the cost
of development.
Training Delivery Mechanisms - Long Term
- Conduct a study to determine the feasibility of developing
30 State/Regional training centers to deliver EPA training
materials to Regional, State and Local personnel.
- Continue to support the development of Hazardous Waste
Management Institutes and evaluate the possibility of
expansion to other program areas.
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9018.00-1
Training Monitoring and Evaluation
- Establish a central repository of training materials and
course information at Headquarters.
- Implement an automated course monitoring system to provide a
comprehensive source of information on OSWER training
activities.
- Develop and implement . a standardized course evaluation
system based on the impact of training on actual job
performance.
- Develop and implement a regular assessment of training needs
based on evaluation findings, job function and training
. demands.
-27-
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9018.00-1
*
ATTACHMENT A (Continued)
# of Sessions
Programmatic/Operational Training
Emergency Response/Preparedness
- Superfuhd Field Orientation 1
- USCG On-Scene Coordinator Simulation
Exercise . 1
Remedial Response
- Hazardous Waste Site Inspections 12
- Direct Reading Instruments for Air
Surveillance (165.14) . 1
- MITRE Hazard Ranking System 8
- Remedial Investigation and Feasibility
Study "1
- Remedial Engineering and Construction
Management 1
Enforcement
- Community Relations for Enforcement 10
- Negotiations ' 5
- Cost Recovery .__!.
Total 10 Courses 41
# of Sessions
Technical and Scientific Training
- Incident Mitigation and Treatment (165.3) 9
- Direct Surveillance for Hazardous
Materials (165.4) 10
- Sampling for Hazardous Materials (165.9) 10
- Hazard Evaluation and Environmental
Assessment 6
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9018.00-1
ATTACHMENT A (Continued)
# of Sessions
Geophysics for Hazardous Waste Site
Investigations 13
Fundamentals of Hydrogeology 2
Interpretation of Soils Data 1
Chemi stry 3
Basic Principles of Toxicology 1
Introduction to Risk Assessment _1_
Total 10 Courses 56
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9018.00-1
ATTACHMENT A (Continued)
OFFICE OF EMERGENCY AND REMEDIAL RESPONSE
FY '86 PROPOSED TRAINING ACTIVITIES/COURSES
Ground-water Training
- The Office of Solid Waste is making available approximately
$354,000 in FY '85, Section 3011 State grant funds to
provide fundamental ground-water training to the States.
- Funds may be used for travel to .training as well as to
purchase delivery of training courses.
- This activity is in support of the RCRA implementation goal
of ensuring compliance with groundwater monitoring
requirements.
CERCLA Orientation .
-OERR is scheduling delivery of six CERCLA Orientation
courses for FY '86. Two held during the first quarter -- in
Region IV on October 1-4, 1985 and in Washington, D.C. in
' ' December.
- CERCLA Orientation training materials which includes
instructions,videotapes,slides and a trainee manual for
distribution, to the Regions.
Environmental Response Training
- OERR will deliver 112 safety and technical training courses
through the Environmental ResponseTeamin the Regions and
States in FY '86.
- OERR is also packaging the Hazardous Incident Response
Operations course for distributiontovarioustraining
facilities such as the California Training Institute at San
Luis Obispo.
- OERR is developing an OSC/RPM Basic Training course. A
pilot is scheduled for the second quarter of FY '86.
Emergency Preparedness Training
- Air Toxics Teleconference presented November 18, 1985 to
disseminate information on the Chemical Emergency
Preparedness Program.
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9018.00-1
ATTACHMENT A (Continued)
- Teleconference follow-up will include workshops on
contingency planning and exercises and Hazardous MateriaTs
Team Training for Regions and States.
Remedial Response Program Training
- Mitre Corporation will conduct ten Hazard Ranking System
training courses in the Regional offices in FY '86.
- Ten Remedial Investigation/Feasibility Study workshops are
tentatively scheduled for delivery to the Regions/States.
- Nine Community Relations Training courses are scheduled for
Thefollowinglocations:Salt Lake City, Utah; Boston,
Springfield, IL; Trenton, NO; Sacramento, Los Angeles, CA;
Austin, TX; Columbus, OH and Jefferson City, MO.
- OERR is also planning the delivery of Superfund Community
Relations/Enforcement Workshops in all ten Regions and at
Headquarters.
- OERR presentation of .the Hazardous Waste Site Inspection
Course in Charleston, WYA.
- OERR is evaluating current Construction Management courses
for use in the remedialprogram:Introduction to
Construction Contracts Management and Management of EPA
Construction Grants, both sponsored by the Corps of
Engineers and the Construction Contracting Course conducted
by the General Services Administration.
Superfund Targeted State Training Program
- OERR is sponsoring the delivery of ten Introduction to
Procurement Under Superfund for presentation Tn tn"e
following locations:Louisville, KY; Atlanta, GA; Chicago,
IL; Dallas, TX; Louisiana; Kansas City, MO; San Francisco,
CA.
- A pilot for a two-day course on Hazardous Materials Cleanup
Technologies and their Application at Superfund Sites for
delivery in Region II.
- Course pilots for the Principles of Risk Assessment: An
Introduction course in Region VI and Region II.
- Region V has scheduled the pilot delivery of the
Environmental Toxicology and Risk Assessment: An
Introduction course for presentation in Minneapolis..
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9018.00-1
f
ATTACHMENT A (Continued)
- OERR is also procuring the following for regional delivery:
.. Geophysics Methods, A Short Course, Regions III and IV
.. Leaking Underground Storage Tanks: Management of the
Problem, Region VII
.. Fundamentals of Groundwater, Regions V and VII
.. Interpretation of Soils Data, Region III.
-------
ATTACHMENT B
REQUESTS FOR PRIORITY TRAINING AREAS
BY PROGRAM AND LEVEL
ALL REGIONS AND HEADQUARTERS COMBINED
PROGRAM
DIFFICULTY LEVEL*
COURSE
Ground Water Related Courses
GW Hydrology
GW Requirements
GW Sampling Plan Design
GW Sampling Plan Proced.
RCRA Regulations
Cleanup Technologies
Remedial Engineering
CERCLA Regulations
Compliance Monitoring Field
Community Relations
General Program
Administration
Contingency Planning
On-Scene Coordination
Risk Assessment
CERCLA CERCLA
1 2
376
287
29
35
25
419
194
25
291
34
243
531
1,255
84
203
1.763
842
115
469
338
166
1,282
1,047
134
151
566
185
250
237
CERCLA
3
973
216
70
616
71
43
396
306
84
43
87
130
122
120
526
CERCLA CERCLA
ENF ENF
1 2
162
97
25
40
180
119
8
51
13
79
2
17
51
637
334
86
75
142
256
87
59
159
11
, 66
20
54
349
CERCLA
ENF RCRA
3 1
361
9
128
107
117
17
253
186
147
302
103
20
6
120
125
1,039
78
607
177
177
. 939
5
65
533
550
415
195
RCRA
2
1,977
410
761
427
379
622
140
77
433
275
512
58
360
RCRA
3
271
73
96
62
40
194
231
110
170
8
81
230
RCRA
ENF
1
1.367
351
596
175
245
539
456
476
410
619
185
275
15
161
RCRA
ENF
2
868
213
349
148
158
474
84
126
410
399
320
59
RCRA
ENF 1
3
140 2.944
85 813
10 1,232
45 412
487
38 2,077
74 774
75 574
1,285
11 1,216
922
808
1.270
101
110 610
TOTAL
2
5,246
1,799
1,311
1,119
1.017
1.518
1,593
1,309
1,136
685
1,049
644
185
304
1,005
3
1,745
383
304
830
228
292
954
677
401
'364
271
150
128
240
991
ALL LEVELS
9,935
2,995
2.847
2.361
1.732
3,887
3,321
2,560
2,822
2,265
2,242
1,602
1,583
645
2,606
M =' Introductory, 2 = Intermediate, 3 = Advanced
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9018.00-1
ATTACHMENT C
CERCLA OSC/RPM Curriculum
Required Courses for New Employees
Safety (ERT)
Project Officer (CMO)
Grants Manager
- for State Cooperative Agreements (6.A.)
CERCLA Orientation - HRSD
Basic OSC/RPM (OSC - SOP Manual
RPM - State Lead SOP Manual
- Federal Lead SOP Manual)
0 Community Relations
OSC - Response Operations (ERT)
RPM - RI/FS (HSCD)
Optional Courses:.
OSC
RPM
Contingency Planning/Exercise
Spill Containment/Incident Mitigation
Hazard Analyses
Construction Management
Cooperative Agreement - Financial Management
PA/SI
Risk Assessment :
Specialized Courses/Symposia
Spec
TJSC~
and RPM:
Ground Water
ADA
OWPE
t HSCD
Ground Water
Technology
(ADA)
Monitoring Data
Basic/Intermediate
Technical Enforcement Guidance Document
Ground Water Guidance
Well Technology
Well Sampling
Data Interpretation
EMSL, Las Vegas Site Charactization
Geophysical
t Soil
t Aerial
t Sampling (OA/OC)
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9018.00-1
ATTACHMENT C (Continued)
Risk Assessment
Health Impact (0PM)
t Hazard Analysis (ERT)
Community Relations
Dispute Resolution
Management
Time Management
Stress Management
Project Management
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9018.00-1
ATTACHMENT D
GROUND-WATER TRAINING CURRICULUM
Core Courses as identified by the Hazardous Waste Ground-Water Task Force
t Basic Hydrogeology - Ada Course, scheduled for delivery in all
10 Regions
t Site Characterization - under development (CERI/OWPE/OSW/OERR)
Technology of Wells - under development (CER/OWPE/OSW/OERR)
Sampling - under development (CERI/OWPE/OSW/OERR/EMSLLV)
Investigation and Implementation - to be developed
t Trouble-Shooting Investigation - to be developed
Geophysics - available through EMSL/LV
Case Management.- to be developed.
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9018.00-1
ATTACHMENT E
SAMPLE COURSE EVALUATION SYSTEM:
DATA COLLECTION PLAN
-------
COURSE MONITORING/EVALUATION SYSTEM
FOR THE
SUPERFUND TARGETED STATE TRAINING PROGRAM
Questionnaire/
Data Collected
Time and Frequency
of Completion
Respondent
STSTP COURSE DATA FORM
Course reference data
Course content (focus, level, materials,
modules, goals and objectives, and agenda)
e Once for each course,
following development or
substantive revision
Regional STSTP
coordinator
STSTP PARTICIPANT DATA FORM
Job position and responsibilities
Job experience
Educational experience
Voluntary or mandatory attendance
Before training
e All course
participants
STSTP PARTICIPANT COURSE ASSESSMENT
Course content (knowledge and skills,
achievement of objectives)
Course delivery (instructor, facilities, materials)
Course design (organization, methodology)
Course usefulness (recommendation, timeliness)
Immediately after every training
delivery
All course
participants
> STSTP INSTRUCTOR COURSE ASSESSMENT
Course content (knowledge and skills,
achievement of objectives)
Course delivery (facilities, materials, participants)
Course design (organization, methodologies)
Course usefulness (relevance, timeliness),
Immediately after every training
delivery
All trainers
e STSTP OBSERVER COURSE ASSESSMENT
Course content (knowledge and skills,
achievement of objectives)
Course delivery (facilities, materials, participants)
Course design (organization, methodologies)
Course usefulness (relevance, timeliness)
Immediately after every training
delivery
All course
observers
STSTP COURSE FOLLOWUP ASSESSMENT
Skill use/knowledge application
Job relevance
Emphasis of course content
New content
Recommendations
Supportiveness of work environment
Six months after training
Participant
sample (20%)
e STSTP COURSE COSTS
Instructor
Travel
Per diem
Instructional materials
Other
Immediately after every training
delivery
Regional STSTP
coordinator
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